Colton has always been one of my favorite railfanning locations of all time, however I never really dedicated a full day railfanning there, until now!
In 1973, the Southern Pacific Railroad sought to build a new railyard to bypass the congested rails and yards it had lying on it's Alhambra Subdivision, such as Taylor, Aurant, Kaiser, Montclair, Azusa, and COFI. The result was a 560 Acre behemoth of a yard, capable of humping 70 trains a day at its peak, and being closer to the manufacturing centers of the heavily industrial Inland Empire. This was complimented by the construction of the Palmdale Cutoff a few years earlier, which put the yard at the heart of the Alhambra Subdivison, Palmdale Cutoff Subdivision, and Yuma Subdivision. Brinegar, Southern Pacific President Benjamin F. Biaggini and Federal Railroad Administrator John W. Ingram pulled the lanyard of a locomotive whistle to commence the first freight cars rolling through the 39 million dollar railyard on July 20th 1973. It can hold over 7000 railcars.
Today, almost 50 years later, under the ownership of SP's merger partner, the Union Pacific, it still classifies comfortably over 1200 carloads a day, and on the adjacent UP Alhambra Subdivision, sees the bulk of all the WB trains into SoCal (EBs use the LA sub which bypasses Colton). Despite efforts to close the yard due to PSR, WC has remained victorious, proving itself as a key terminal on the West Coast, and irreplaceable in the Union Pacific Railroad. With lumber from north on the Mojave Subdivision, it is generally sent east along the Sunset route. Ethanol products from the Sunset route generally go to the ports. Finished automobiles from the Cima Subdivision, take the BNSF Cajon Sub to the yard, and are sent overseas or onto the aforementioned lines.
With some of the only SD40 class units in SoCal, as well as one of the last Gensets, it is one of the best locations to film switching operations anywhere along the railroad. So I present to you over an hour of footage I got from the Union West Colton Railyard! Featuring GATX, KCSM, FXE, CSX, SD40s, SD70s and T4 ACes! I hope you enjoyed and thanks for watching!
Train #1: UP MWCFR 23 Power
Consist:
UP 7131~C44ACM
UP 6924~AC4460CW / C6044AC
UP 8736~SD70ACe
UP 2672~ET44AH / C45AH
Train #2: UP GATX Car Repair Facility Switcher
Head End:
UPY 3200~SD40N
UPY 3207~SD40N
UP 1927~SD40N
Train #3: UP LOB86 23
Head End:
UP 3885~SD70M
UP 4034~SD70M
Train #4: UP Power Block
Head End:
UP 6155~AC4400CW / C44AC ~ Ex SP 114
UP 8329~SD70ACe
UP 8896~SD70AH
UP 6337~AC4400CW / C44AC ~ Ex SP 292
UP 7235~C44ACM
UP 7215~C44ACM
UP 5825~AC4400CW / C44ACCTE
UP 2592~ET44AH / C45AH
Train #5: UP MWCFR 23 Head End Power:
Consist:
UP 2672~ET44AH / C45AH
UP 8736~SD70ACe
Train #6: UP GATX Car Repair Facility Switcher
Head End:
UP 1927~SD40N
UPY 3207~SD40N
UPY 3200~SD40N
Train #7: UP MWCRV 23
Head End:
UP 3022~SD70ACe-T4
UP 8657~SD70ACe
UP 5431~ES44AC / C45ACCTE
Rear End:
UP 5693~AC4400CW / C44ACCTE
Train #8: UP LOH53 23
Head End:
UP 3885~SD70M
UP 4034~SD70M
Train #9: UP MWCLB 23
Head End:
UP 7157~AC4400CW / C44AC
UP 5735~AC4400CW / C44ACCTE
UP 5432~AC4400CW / C44ACCTE
UP 8816~SD70ACe
UP 8545~SD70ACe
Train #10: GATX Car Repair Facility Switcher
Head End:
GATX 7000~MP14B
Train #11: UP MWCLB 23
Head End:
UP 7157~AC4400CW / C44AC
UP 5735~AC4400CW / C44ACCTE
UP 5432~AC4400CW / C44ACCTE
UP 8816~SD70ACe
UP 8545~SD70ACe
Train #12: UP Yard Job
Head End:
UP 1571~SD40N ~ Ex CNW 6830
UPY 3205~SD40N
UPY 3201~SD40N
Train #13: UP LOQ32 "UP Kaiser Hauler"
Head End:
UP 5122~SD70M
UP 4341~SD70M
UP 4708~SD70M
Train #14: UP MWCLB 23
Head End:
UP 7157~AC4400CW / C44AC
UP 5735~AC4400CW / C44ACCTE
UP 5432~AC4400CW / C44ACCTE
UP 8816~SD70ACe
UP 8545~SD70ACe
Train #15: GATX Car Repair Facility Switcher
Head End:
GATX 7000~MP14B
Train #16: UP ZMQLC 21
Head End:
UP 7395~ES44AC / C45ACCTE
UP 5313~ES44AC / C45ACCTE
Train #15: UP MWCLB 23
Head End:
UP 7157~AC4400CW / C44AC
UP 5735~AC4400CW / C44ACCTE
UP 5432~AC4400CW / C44ACCTE
UP 8816~SD70ACe
UP 8545~SD70ACe
Train #16: UP MEWWC 22
Head End:
UP 2644~ET44AH / C45AH
UP 3055~SD70ACe-T4
UP 8739~SD70ACe
Middle:
UP 7512~ES44AC / C45ACCTE
Rear End:
UP 5515~ES44AC / C45ACCTE
Train #17: UP Yard Switcher Power
Consist:
UP 1703~SD40N
UP 1576~SD40N
UP 1797~SD40N
Train #18: UP MEPRV 18 (Picture Only)
Head End:
UP 1943~SD70AH
Rest of consist unknown
Train #19: UP MWCEW 23
Head End:
UP 6627~AC4400CW / C44AC
CSXT 755~ES44AH
UP 4383~SD70M
FXE 4019~SD70ACe
Rear End:
UP 6275~AC4400CW / C44AC ~ Ex SP 230
Train #20: UP MWCFR 23
Head End:
UP 2672~ET44AH / C45AH
UP 8736~SD70ACe
Rear End:
UP 6924~AC4460CW / C6044AC
UP 7131~C44ACM
Train #21: UP MWCNP 23 Power ~ Hornshow!
Head End:
UP 6637~AC4400CW / C44C
UP 7028~C44ACM
KCSM 4764~ES44AC
UP 5312~ES44AC / C45ACCTE
UP 6941~AC4460CW / C6044AC
UP 4641~SD70M
UP 8520~SD70ACe
Train #22: UP ZG4CI 21
Head End:
UP 9050~SD70AH
UP 6695~A4400CW / C44ACCTE